The current structure of DoD acquisition is a combination of fiefdoms, confusing regulatory variances, varying degrees of competency and experience, non-standard practices, ancient and incompatible IT systems, and lacks clear coordination. Bringing DoD acquisition under one "purple" organization allows for standardized practices, eliminates overlapping and redundant offices, and establishs a clear set of "rules of the road" to allow our acquisition professionals to focus on obtaining the best value for the Warfighter and the US taxpayer.
As an example, our current IT infrastructure consists of a hodge podge of systems and architectures dating back to the Johnson Administration (1960s). In the case of paying contractors, the backbones is MOCAS, a system implemented before the vast majority of the current users were born. In terms of contract writing and transmitting the current system uses EDA, EDW, PADS, PD2, MDO, FPDS-NG, FBO, various SAP based concepts, and the list goes on. These systems all require seperate logins, maintenance, are not accessible by users outside of the operating agency, mostly not interoperable, many require extensive specialized training, and none are terribly user friendly.
IT is a force multiplier when used correctly, but we continue to use it as a not too gussied up word processor. In many ways, we are still using typewriters and fax machines.
Similarly, standardization will allow DoD to deploy a "right sized" workforce that is capable of obtaining the best products and servies, leveraging economies of scale, obtaining the best value, and maximizing the utility of the taxpayer's dollar.
